Page 59 of Taming Waves

“Fine,” I relent. “I’ll be home around six, and I’ll walk down and find you guys.”

He smiles triumphantly.

“Only because I want to see Leia in her costume,” I add.

He raps his knuckles on the bar as he stands. “I’ll take it. See you at six.”

He grabs one last fry, pops it into his mouth, and leaves through the employee door.

Heather races back to me. “So, how’d it go? Did you give him the speech?”

“Yeah, and terrible.”

“He didn’t take it well?”

“He took it fine,” I say.

“Then, what’s the problem?” she asks.

“I’m going to the carnival with him after work.”

Her mouth drops open. “Are you sure he heard the speech?”

“Oh, he heard it.”

“What’s your next move?” she asks.

“I’m going to go to the carnival, eat kettle corn and funnel cake, watch the kids in their costumes, and act like last night never happened.”

“That’ll never work,” she says. “You’ll be on orgasm five before the sun sets.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I think I’m strong enough to resist.”

She shrugs. “You can try, but, hey, losing doesn’t sound that bad if you ask me.”

Parker

Itry my best not to look toward Audrey’s apartment while Sebastian and I toss rings at bottles, trying to win Leia a stuffed unicorn. We’ve spent thirty dollars each so far, and still no luck. We could have bought six unicorns by now, but we all know that stuffed animals mean more to a girl when you win them. That’s just how it is.

Girl logic.

I pitch my last ring and throw my hands in the air as it bounces off a green bottle and falls to the ground. “Your turn, Lennon,” I say, stepping away from the booth.

“No way. That game is rigged,” he gripes.

“You can do it, Uncle Lennon,” Leia cries.

He looks down at her, and his eyes soften. She is dressed in a long-sleeved purple leotard, pink leggings, and a rainbow tutu. Her ringlet curls are gathered on top of her head, and an artist painted a gold mask on her face, outlined in white glitter. Her lips are bright red from eating cotton candy, and she is wearing a pair of iridescent wings.

“All right, munchkin, I’ll give it a try.”

Amiya and Avie approach, each holding red-and-white checkered paper trays filled with chicken fingers and corn dogs. “Look who we found!” Amiya exclaims as Audrey steps up beside them.

She’s wearing black leggings and a looseHocus Pocussweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

“You came!” Leia shouts as she jumps up and down.

Audrey drops to one knee. “I did just to see the little pixie fairy I heard was flitting around.”

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